If you grew up in Austin or have a child in elementary school, chances are you’ve been on a field trip to Crowe’s Nest Farm. We just love this charming 100-acre working farm and animal sanctuary located just a short drive to Manor, Texas. At Crowe’s Nest, you will meet plenty of adorable domestic farm animals including bison, llamas, cows, donkeys, longhorns, ostrich, pigs, goats and much more. You can opt to take a short hay ride and watch a cow-milking demo while you’re there, too. You can also pack along a picnic and enjoy your own lunch on the farm!

As a favorite group field trip activity, many people don’t realize that you can actually visit the farm on your own with your kids as a very fun family outing — no reservations required! The farm certainly missed the opportunity to host big groups during the pandemic, and they actually depend upon school tourism as a financial means to keep the their animals fed and the farm going. If you’d like to help provide support, consider buying a ticket to their upcoming Farm Fest!

The Do512 team took a visit out to Crowe’s Nest Farm. Here’s some highlights from our trip…

— Kisses from Hummer the Lovable Young Llama
If you want to meet the softest, sweetest animal on the farm, make a beeline for Hummer, the young llama (born August 2020) who likes to give kisses. He will be sure to put a smile on your face!

— Watching a Cow-Milking Demo
A stop in the Dairy Barn will have your kids learning all about where the milk they drink comes from. See an educational live milking demo and learn all about dairy cows.

— Taking a Hayride to see Bison and Ollie the Ostrich
Hop aboard a tractor-pulled hay wagon for a fun (and bumpy) ride out to see bison in the fields and to meet Ollie the ostrich. Farmer Eric will provide plenty of interesting facts on your tour, such as the difference between buffalo & bison or how fast an ostrich can run. Fun facts for all ages!

— Feeding the animals.
Get a cup of feed from the big red barn and take a self-guided walk along the farm path to feed plenty of hungry goats, llamas, sheep and more. The goats, especially, will be delighted to come right up to the fence to take a handful of food.

— Finding a perfect picnic spot. 
Be sure to pack along a picnic to make the most of your visit out to the country. You can spread out your lunch on one of the many picnic tables out on the farm and soak up the pretty setting with your family and friends.

We had so much fun on our recent visit, and we hope you go enjoy it, too! In addition to simply planning a little outing, you can also consider Crowe’s Nest Farm for a birthday party, field trip for your pod, scouts, church, or other group outing. Visit www.crowesnestfarm.org for much more info.